Search Results

Please come to the Memorial Day meeting of the Rim Country Republican Club to hear a presentation byTom Morrissey, Past Chairman of the AZ GOP. The meeting will be held on May 29 at Tiny's Restaurant, Highway 260 in Payson Arizona at 11:00 am. Mr. Morrissey's talk will be about his experiences with the Establishment in our party when he was State Chairman and what really goes on behind closed doors, far from the eyes and ears of the grassroots and true believers.

#1: My personal experience of Jim O’Connor has been extremely positive. First, he educated me on the serious problems associated with Rep. J. D. Mesnard’s National Popular Vote bill (HB2456), which he brought up during last year's legislative session. This was a complex issue, and Mr. O’Connor and I exchanged several emails and telephone calls in the process. I also did independent research. This resulted in an article that I published titled “Stop the National Popular Vote Compact in Arizona." Mr. O’Connor made a very impressive appeal before the House of Representatives against the National Popular Vote leading them to defeat that bill last session. He's prepared to do it again.

Second, as a member of the Mommy Lobby, I deeply appreciated Mr. O’Connor's leadership in LD23 in helping to pass HB2088, which protects students against surveys that gather private, personally identifiable information. He advised his representative in LD23, Heather Carter, "Our 444 Precinct Committeemen are reflecting the opinions of the 70,000 registered republican votes in our district overwhelmingly protecting the rights of parents and children. Please represent these and other republicans who desire to restrain government overreach." She voted in favor on reconsideration, and this bill passed. Mr. O'Connor has stood firmly in support of legislation that honors parental authority and rejects federal control of education in Arizona.

Many have seen in recent weeks a few endorsements from Public Office Holders of Candidates for those who wish to serve in County and State Party positions. I want to make a statement and say this is absolutely wrong. One of the primary reasons that the Republican Party exists is to hold Elected Officials accountable. Having our Party Officeholders beholden to Elected Officials through endorsements and donations is precisely what's wrong with the GOP today. It should raise many red flags of Party Candidates who seek these endorsements as it is akin to the adage of the "Fox in the Henhouse." This is terrible judgment both on the part of the candidate and the elected official.

Arizona Republican Senator John Kavanagh (LD23) will be introducing a bill during the upcoming Legislative Session that will make stealing the American flag a Class 6 felony. In the following Fox News interview, Sen. Kavanagh explains that currently, stealing the flag is only a misdemeanor theft, akin to stealing a pack of gum from a convenience store. When someone steals a flag from someone's yard, they aren't just stealing something that doesn't belong to them. Not only is the flag a venerated object, but also, when someone displays the American flag, they are exercising their Constitutionally-guaranteed First Amendment freedom of expression. They might be displaying the flag to express patriotism, mourning someone's death, or as a protest. This is an important right.

"Democracy" has a nice ring to it: One Person, One Vote. However, that's exactly what the Founders did not want: Majority (aka Mob) Rule. When Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, "A Republic, if you can keep it." Ours is a Constitutional Republic, but only if we, the people, care enough to participate in keeping it.

Our presidents are chosen through a combination of a popular vote and the Electoral College that represents the states. Each state’s entitled allotment of electors equals the number of members in its Congressional delegation: one for each member in the House of Representatives plus two for Senators. This keeps a handful of the most populous states from dominating all the other states. For example, Donald Trump won the popular vote in Arizona. Thus, the Republican party's 11 Electors will vote for president. Had Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, Arizona's 11 Democrat Electors would be voting for president. (In contrast, California has 55 Electors.) See below for two short videos: Do you Understand the Electoral College? and The Popular Vote vs the Electoral College.

Unfortunately, there is a movement across America that is gaining traction called the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. It would distort the procedures of the Electoral College. It would usher in the very "democracy" that the Founders did not want. It is unconstitutional.

I have tremendous respect for Jim O’Connor. In the following press release, you will read about Jim's role in renouncing the National Popular Vote. I was one of the people he patiently educated regarding its problems. Ultimately, a group of us were able to convince our Senator, Sylvia Allen, to back away from supporting it. Jim is true to the Republican platform and has provided leadership in other areas as well, including the passage of HB2088, which protects students against surveys that gather private, personally identifiable information. He advised his representative in LD23, Heather Carter, "Our 444 Precinct Committeemen are reflecting the opinions of the 70,000 registered republican votes in our district overwhelmingly protecting the rights of parents and children. Please represent these and other republicans who desire to restrain government overreach." She voted in favor on reconsideration. Mr. O'Connor has stood firmly in support of legislation that honors parental authority and rejects federal control of education in Arizona.

PRESS RELEASE

As noted in a November 24 news article, Senator Carlyle Begay has recently changed from the Democrat to Republican Party. I have never met Sen. Begay, but I've observed him and heard his remarks during the last legislative session. He is a highly intelligent, thoughtful, well-educated man. Both Democrats and Republicans can politicize his decision all they want, but I know that he will be guided by his convictions, not politics, whenever he casts his votes. The welfare of his constituents, many of whose ancestors were the First Arizonans, will rank far above either party. He believes that the time has come for his people to achieve prosperity. In fact, he wants all Arizonans to prosper. Please watch this video. Notice the many terms and phrases that he uses. This is what the Republican Party stands for.

In the following video, you will gain some insight into why Senator Begay is adamant that "change must happen" and why he believes it is the Republican Party that is working to find solutions that will help the people that Sen. Begay represents. He explains that "families living within our rural and tribal communities are in a crisis. Unemployment is as high as 80%. Roads, bridges, and infrastructure are wasting away. Many Native American families are without electricity and clean, running water. Native American students have some of the lowest graduation rates and some of the highest drop-out rates. Native Americans have the highest rates of suicide in the country." Senator Begay desires to work within the Republican Party to build a bridge connecting those who need and want a chance with those who can help provide that chance. The Republican Party is the party of progress, the party of opportunity. It is, now, Senator Begay's Party.

It is with great sadness that I write of the loss of Mike Richardson. On May 10, 2015, he was posting articles on his Facebook page. On May 15, he was gone. He died from complications following minor shoulder surgery. In a way, his death was much like his life. He never dawdled.